Cheese Warehouse ‘De Producent’ in Gouda, the famous Dutch Cheese Capital, experienced a spectacular transformation to lofts. In the heart of the building a spacious atrium is created, enclosed by 52 unique lofts. Because of the innovative reuse of elements from the old warehouse, you can still experience the 100-year-old history of making cheese.
The main changes of the transformation become visible once you enter the monumental building via the original ventilation alley between the two warehouses. An atrium is created by removing pieces of floors and facades. Parts of the original facades are remained as hoistway. Residents reach their apartment by elevators between the historical facades.
Mei saved as much elements as possible from the former warehouse and gave them a second life. The cheese boards, with cheese prints, are reused as cladding in the atrium. In some of the shelfs a saying is engraved, originating from a board game found in the archive, to refer to the buildings history.
To carry million kilos of cheese, the warehouse had two construction systems: for the building and for the cheese. Both constructions are reused and maintained unfinished visible in the apartments; steel columns, wooden ceilings and attic beams.
The strategic placement of loggias in the facade – maintaining the monumental rhythm of small windows – made a diverse range of floorplans possible.